Mobile Phones Are 7 Times Dirtier Than Toilet Seats, Says Study

If there is one thing on this planet, and in our lives, that we just cannot live without, it has to be our mobile phones, right? We have created a virtual bond with these cellular companions. There are hardly a handful of people out there who say they can survive without their phones. We use our phones everywhere, we take them everywhere. We fiddle with them on our way to the office and back home; we can’t even stop checking them while we’re seated at the dinner table with family and friends.

Okay, now that is out of the way, we have another question for you. Which is that one thing that we use in our everyday lives that is infested with germs and is highly unhygienic? If you are thinking it’s the toilet seats, then we would like to tell you that, amazingly, you are wrong. And like always, we have to tell you why. We love all our readers after all. So here’s the truth – “Our beloved mobile phones are nearly seven times dirtier than our toilet seats.” And we’re not just saying this in a vacuum, there are studies out there which prove this very statement (1).

This Is What Studies Have Revealed

Our smartphones make our lives simpler and of course, smart! From organizing our day, making that grocery list on the go, allowing us to do virtual video chats with our loved ones, entertaining us to helping us find a date for the coming weekend or a partner for the rest of our lives, phones are our partners in all of it.

We’re assuming you are reading this right now on your phones, right? Studies say that nearly 70 percent of the adults in the USA, and other countries have the habit of reading news and other informative articles on their mobile devices (2). Why shouldn’t they? It’s the most convenient way in which you can keep yourself updated with what’s happening around the world.

The study which was conducted with phones to find out what kind of microbial organisms can be found on cell phones shed a lot of light on its microbial environment with its results. It said that the mobile phones which were protected with leather phone cases were said to have the highest number of germs in them. And the ones with rubber cases, well, they are six times more likely to be unclean and unhygienic than our toilet seats.

How Did They Find This Out?

It was the Initial Washington Hygiene, an online sanitation expert, that took up the study. They observed 50 samples from mobile phones in order to record the levels of bacteria in them. The scientists made use of a special substance whose light was shone on the surface of the mobile phones as well as toilet seats and that helped them make a note of the bacterial activity happening on them. And the results shocked everybody! Toilet seats recorded 220 bacterial spots compared to the whopping 1479 bacterial spots on phone cases (3). Can you believe that? This is for real peeps!

There was another research wherein three smartphones were swabbed – Google Pixel, iPhone 6, and a Samsung Galaxy 8 – to understand if these phones nurtured any yeast, bacteria or mold. The results say that almost all parts of the phone harbor at least some bit of these three substances. The screens of the phone were recorded to be the filthiest parts. This was followed by the back of the phones taking the second position and the lock buttons stood third, and this was followed by the home buttons of these phones (4).

Easy Ways To Avoid Germs On Your Phones

We sure do touch a lot of things in our surroundings; some might be harboring a lot of bacteria and dirt on them which isn’t visible to naked eye. And we always make sure we have our phone around us, therefore, even the phones contract the dirt and the germs. We’re not saying that the mere presence of harmful substances on our phones is going to make us fall sick. But, it’s always best to stay clear of things that can harm you, right? And one thing that we need to steer clear from is taking our phones to the washrooms with us. When we flush the toilet, it spreads germs all around, which might make our phones contract fecal bacteria.

Now if you are looking at ways of cleaning your phone every now and then, there are quite a few:

• Use a microfiber cloth to wipe your phones. It’s soft and will remove most of the germs from your phones.
• You can also a make a solution of water and alcohol in a 60–40 percent measure. Dip a soft cloth in this solution, squeeze out the excess liquid and wipe your phones with it.
• And make it a habit to either sanitize your hands or wash them every now and then to keep yourself, and your phones safe from the deadly microorganisms.

Now you know why our phones can be deadly to us health-wise. Try to use it in a healthy manner and keep yourself in the pink of health. Do you know of any other ways by which we can sanitize our phones? Let us know in the comments below.

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